Help

Newsletter

Report: South Carolina lawmakers lack transparency

COLUMBIA, S.C. - When it comes to knowing how their lawmakers voted, South Carolinians are kept in the dark, according to a limited-government group's analysis.

A South Carolina Policy Council study of the constitutional and legislative procedural rules of all 50 states found that South Carolina is one of five states that does not require lawmakers to record their votes when passing bills. And of those five states, South Carolina has the stiffest requirement for requesting a recorded vote.

According to the rules, 10 House lawmakers must request a recorded vote, and in the Senate, it must be five senators. Otherwise votes are issued using anonymous voice votes.

State Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, said this summer that he would request a roll-call vote on bills with an economic impact until lawmakers approve a plan requiring recorded votes on bills that spend taxpayer dollars.

In January state Rep. Nikki Haley, R-Lexington, is expected to introduce legislation that would require a recorded vote on second reading of all bills, the third reading if the bill is amended, conference committee reports and each section of the state budget.

Some state Senate leaders have signaled support for some reforms.

However, this summer state House Speaker Bobby Harrell said roll call votes on every measure would be costly for taxpayers, with each vote costing $55 for paper, printing, staff time, maintenance, power and technology fees for the voting-board system.

Moreover, he said in a release from his staff that there is ample roll-call voting already: It's required for contested bills, governor's vetoes, constitutional amendments, contested elections and any time 10 or more members request a roll-call vote.